Text by Jacinta Price: A politician sends a sneaky message that all of Australia is talking about
An independent MP has hit out at the Voice No campaign for bombarding voters with text messages from Jacinta Price, claiming they contained a link that “harvests data” for political parties.
The texts, which urge recipients to vote against the Indigenous Voice referendum in Parliament, were sent on Tuesday, sparking a massive backlash on social media from Voice opponents and supporters.
The country’s Liberal Party senator and No campaigner, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, is named as the sender of the message.
“Hi, it’s Jacinta Price. The referendum will take place on October 14,” we can read in the text.
“The Voice is risky, unknown and divisive. You do not know ? Say no.’
It then includes a link for those who wish to submit an absentee ballot.
The Voice to Parliament None campaign is under fire after bombarding voters with text messages purporting to be from Jacinta Nampijinpa Price (pictured)
The link takes voters to a website sponsored by the Federal Coalition. It asks for voters’ names, mailing address, email address, cell phone number, date of birth and why they would need an absentee ballot.
The website was authorized by the federal director of the Liberal Party of Australia, Andrew Hirst.
MP Teal Allegra Spender condemned the text in a fiery post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter – claiming the Voice ad is a data harvesting ploy.
“We are bombarded with spam, texts and messages claiming to provide absentee votes for The Voice,” she wrote.
“These are advertisements from the Liberal Party aimed at collecting your personal data. For a real postal vote, contact the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
The text message urged recipients to vote no in the referendum on the Indigenous voice in Parliament.
The message included a link for those who wanted to submit an absentee ballot. This leads to a website hosted by the Liberal Party designed to collect data on people.
“MPs are working towards electoral reform to stop political parties harvesting your data and spamming you, but the main parties will not support these changes.”
Others also took to X to complain about the campaign’s ads.
“Tell Jacinta Price to stop texting me please,” one user wrote.
“Dear Senator. Please do not send me unsolicited text messages on Voice or any other issue unless I have a right of reply. A bit like a Voice,” commented another.
The AEC has issued a statement on the matter following a number of inquiries about the posts, including those in this publication.
“We are receiving questions about campaign text messages received today,” it read.
Independent MP Allegra Spender (pictured) condemned the Liberal Party for the SMS advertising campaign in a fiery message to X.
“They are legal, political parties do not receive telephone numbers from the AEC and today’s message appears to contain the required authorization statement via the link in the message.”
The AEC explained that the distribution of campaign text messages was permitted because it did not contravene laws set out in the Electoral Act or the Referendum Act.
Additionally, political parties are also exempt from the Spam Act and the Do Not Call Registry Act.
“The AEC does not release voters’ telephone numbers. The AEC does not know where or how a registered political party obtains voters’ telephone numbers,” the AEC added.
No Fair Australia campaign group, led by Ms Price, told Daily Mail Australia it was not involved in the advertising campaign.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Price for comment. The Voices to Parliament referendum will take place on October 14.
